Daily Times

Raine Spencer, the stepmother of Diana, Princess of Wales, left £5.8 million in her will including a touching legacy of £75,000 and a Rolls-Royce to her loyal butler.

Countess Spencer, who died aged 87 last October, left the bulk of her estate to her four children from her first marriage to the Earl of Dartmouth.

But she also remembered ‘devoted’ butler Brian Davis with the gift of ‘whichever’ car she owned at the time of her death.

Her friend Mark Kingscote, a Tory councillor in Torquay, Devon, said, “Her last car was a Rolls-Royce. She always praised Brian and used to say how marvellous he was. He did so much for her. Brian would have liked it that she left him her car.”

Countess Spencer, the daughter of romantic novelist Dame Barbara Cartland, married Diana’s father Earl Spencer in 1976, soon after divorcing her first husband.

She famously had a difficult early relationship with Diana and her siblings, who reportedly nicknamed her Acid Raine, but in later years was often seen out with the Princess.

Earl Spencer died in 1992 and a year later Countess Spencer married French count Jean-Francois Pineton de Chambrun. They split after three years.

Davis, who is in his sixties and worked for the Spencer family for more than 30 years, said at his home in Hastings, East Sussex, “I know I am in the will, but I am not going to talk about it.”

Countess Spencer’s eldest son William Legge, the Earl of Dartmouth, was left her sapphire and diamond engagement ring.

Second son Rupert Legge will receive a painting and a turquoise evening set by Van Cleef & Arpels.

Daughter Charlotte di Carcaci, and youngest son Henry were also left paintings and jewellery.

Probate records revealed last week that Countess Spencer left £8,768,149, reduced to £5,810,568 after liabilities.

Published in Daily Times, June 26th, 2017.